MEET John Sparry, the man who has turned his back on the 21st century to live in a bygone age.

The everyday mod-cons which all households take for granted are nowhere to be seen at John's 1860s home-cum-bookshop in the Black Country. He has never even owned a television set.

The historian, writer and musician's only nod to modern-day life is a telephone which he reluctantly had installed about eight years ago and his trusty radio, for Radio 4 plays and his beloved jazz music.

The back kitchen of his terraced home at Wall Heath, near Dudley, is like something straight out of the Black Country Living Museum.

He uses a black iron range for occasional cooking, although vegetarian John, who will only admit to being in his 60s, exists mainly on salad.

He also has an ancient stoneware sink, a washing boiler and even a mangle.

Bachelor and raconteur John, who has lived at the time-stood-still house since 1948, still has a wall-mounted 40s-style telephone, which does not work. He was only persuaded to acquire a conventional telephone after a bout of illness but steadfastly refuses to bow to any other trappings of the 21st century.

John, who looked after his mother Daisy at the house until her death in 1979, said: "I choose to live the way I do and I am perfectly content with a very simple way of life.

"This house is pretty much all I have known all my life and is the same as it was when it was built in the 1860s, apart from a lean-to kitchen which was added at the time of the First World War. Ninety-nine per cent of families in Britain have a TV but I have never had one and I don't want one.

"You don't need all the mod-cons to be happy - I have a lot of friends and they bring me pleasure."

John has become well-known locally for his informative talks, and has written a couple of books as well as performing regularly at concerts on his vibraphone.

John may have eschewed the 21st century but he has had to embrace modern technology for his latest venture, a DVD called Tales from the Old Kitchen exploring the history of Wall Heath, Kingswinford and Himley. Details on the DVD are available from John on 01384 359109.